Scary Plumbing Stories for Halloween

We have all heard of plumbing nightmares, maybe you have had friends or family have something go majorly wrong, maybe it was you? Some of these stories from around the world seem too over the top to be true, but they are entertaining none the less.

In honor of Halloween we thought it was appropriate to scare you… but not with ghost stories or a costume instead with some of the scariest plumbing nightmares and stories we have ever come across!

The Two-Striped Telamonia Spider

This story states that a venomous spider had been found under multiple Florida restaurants toilet seats and was attacking patrons. Symptoms of the bite included fever, chills, vomiting, muscle paralysis and death. It was said that the Two-Striped Telamonia native to Asian tropical rain forest hitched a ride on a shipment of toilet seats from India.

This story turned out to be an email hoax that has been doing the rounds since 1999, but our plumbers can confirm that especially here in Australia, more often in rural and bushy areas that red backs and other spiders have been found under the toilet seat on multiple occasions.

Sewer System Alligators

A story that everyone has heard is that in America, there are alligators living in the sewer systems due to holiday makers buying a baby pet alligator, only to realise that it's not as cute when it begins to grow up, so they flush it down the toilet. The story continues that some of the alligators survived the trip down the toilet and multiplied creating a sub species of albino alligators living in the sewer.

Whilst there is no evidence to suggest that there is a species of albino alligator's living under the United States city streets, in 1935 there was an alligator found in New York's sewer system, it is believed that he found his way there by hitching a ride on a fresh water intake from a river.

Forget Snakes on a Plane!

It's not too uncommon at all to find snakes especially around hot water units and outdoor pipes as they are attracted to the heat, but one unlucky lady after doing her business in the bathroom, flushed the toilet only to notice a snake sticking its head out from under the rim. Queensland Wildlife Solutions state that they remove about 10 snakes a year from toilets in and around Brisbane, and that snakes are one of only two animals capable of coming up from the sewer through your plumbing, the other being there main source of food, rats!

Obviously these stories are extreme cases, but they are entertaining none the less and they might send a chill down your spine next time you go to the bathroom, or give you a funny story to tell at your Halloween party.